The Bajaj Dominar 400 had massive potential but it never quite sold the numbers it should have. Bajaj then gave the bike an update to fix its issues, and as our first ride review revealed, this was done to a large extent. However, a first ride review can only tell so much, which is why we decided to put the Dominar through a comprehensive road test.

Nothing has changed here. The Dominar has the same, well-positioned, wide handlebar that gives the rider an upright riding stance. The pegs are still slightly rear-set but don’t get uncomfortable even over long distances. The seat also remains comfortable and reasonably roomy. On the whole, the riding triangle accommodates most riders, regardless of height and bulk.

Plastic fuel tank won’t help when you have a magnetic tank bag.

Bajaj has really outdone itself with the pricing of the Dominar, with all of the new updates coming in at a hike of just Rs 11,000. The motorcycle costs Rs 1.74 lakh now, and this is where things get interesting. At this price, it undercuts similarly powered rivals and specced motorcycles by a huge margin. The closest model to it is the lower-powered KTM 250 Duke (Rs 1.93 lakh), followed by the TVS Apache RR 310 (Rs 2.23 lakh), Honda CB300R (Rs 2.41 lakh), KTM 390 Duke (Rs 2.44 lakh), Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 (Rs 2.50 lakh onwards) and the BMW G 310 R (Rs 2.99 lakh) (all prices, ex-showroom, Delhi). But it’s not just the price. Thanks to the updated motor and suspension, the Dominar is now a more competent motorcycle, so much so that we would say it’s the best highway machine under Rs 2 lakh.

UPDATE: The KTM 125 Duke has received a price hike of Rs 6,835. It now costs Rs 1.25 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi)

It’s been around two decades since we considered a motorcycle in the 125cc space to be genuinely sporty. These bikes in our market start at around 150cc, but KTM has chosen to take a different approach. Its recently launched 125 Duke is essentially a 200 Duke with a 125cc heart, and is the very same one that KTM developed for the light motorcycle license category (A1) in the United Kingdom. We head out to the streets to see how well the new KTM does its job.

Foot peg assembly looks good but offers precious little heel support.

The 125 Duke has identical ergonomics to the current 200 Duke and the previous-generation 390 Duke, both of which have a great reputation of carving corners and acing racetracks. What it means is that you are sat in a sporty riding stance with your feet quite far backwards. However, with the positives of the old design come the negatives, and the 125 Duke does feel cramped for taller riders whose knees come in constant contact with the muscular tank extensions.

Seat offers just about enough room, but larger riders will wish for more.

Rs 1.18 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) now gets you entry into the KTM brand. And you get quite an authentic experience, too, because the 125 Duke feels exactly like its big siblings, except for the fact that it’s pleasantly efficient and the riding experience, in comparison, feels like it’s in slow motion.

As a first sports bike, the 125 Duke is a great option, especially for someone relatively new to motorcycling. It has the feel-good factor of a sporty motorcycle and offers all the kit you could dream of having on an entry-level machine. But this is not the bike you want if speed is what you are after, and it won’t be a satisfying upgrade for those looking to scale up from their Pulsars, Gixxers and RTRs. If that is where you are coming from, you would be better off buying a more powerful motorcycle for similar money, the choices for which are plenty.

The Switchback is essentially a non-vented textile jacket that can provide good protection from the cold, but can be quickly turned into a mesh jacket for when the heat rises. To do so, the jacket has a removable panel that runs across the chest, arms and back and it’s all held in place by zippers. Once removed, this layer can be stowed away in a backpack and it reveals large mesh panels beneath, essentially rendering the jacket ready for the summer heat. It takes a couple of attempts, but the process of removing and reattaching the outer shell quickly becomes fairly straightforward and logical.

The Switchback is constructed out of tough 1000D Cordura and it uses YKK zippers, all around. Another nice addition comes in the use of SasTec Level 2 armour at the shoulders, elbows as well as a large back protector. SasTec is one of those clever visco-elastic materials that is soft to touch and takes the shape of the rider’s body, but quickly hardens under impact. It is resistant to large temperature changes and is reusable after an impact.

The jacket comes with a number of zippered pockets, both inside and out, but the zipper pulls work in the opposite direction to what we’re accustomed to - pull down to close and up to open. The logic is that it’s easier to pull upwards when you’re on the bike and in practise, this is actually quite effective. The problem is that you’ll probably keep forgetting this, especially if you own other riding gear with conventional zippers; and pockets tend to be accidentally left open.

With the outer shell on, the jacket does a good job of protecting you from cold – as low as 10 to 15 degrees. But given the fact that there’s no inner liner, how well it will fare in Ladakh levels of cold is an unknown. Remove the outer shell and the vast mesh panels allow for an exceptional amount of airflow, as long as the rider is moving. But come to a halt at the traffic lights and things start to get quite hot. The primary reason for this is that the jacket is quite heavy, even with the outer shell removed and is over a third of a kilo heavier than my Dainese mesh jacket, which also has a Level 2 back protector in addition to chest protectors.

My second issue with the jacket lies in its fit. As commonly seen in riding gear from domestic brands, the fit is baggy and not very form-fitting, particularly at the arms (despite the adjustability) and stomach area. This is understandably in an effort to accommodate riders of varied shapes and sizes, and while it may well be appreciated by some, I prefer my jackets to have a snug and ergonomic fit. This, the Switchback does not offer.

The Switchback is available at the Fool’s Gear store in Mumbai. This jacket has numerous merits in the form of tough materials, a high level of protection, decent finish and a clever solution to varying weather conditions – but its not perfect; and at Rs 15,000, it also happens to cost quite a lot. That’s a price at which you’ll also find numerous entry-level options from European brands.

For years, you and I have been led to believe that design is separate from engineering. The argument is that design is a consequence of imagination, followed by the extensive use of an Apple computer, some clay and a scalpel. Engineering, meanwhile, is a result of precise algorithms and, usually, a milling machine. However, that design is separate from engineering is a myth. Milling machines can, in fact, create magic like nothing else. Indian Motorcycles has known this for the years, and the Scout Bobber is a direct beneficiary of it.

This is one of the prettiest motorcycles to go on sale in the country and that’s down to its form as much as to the execution of it. The Scout Bobber ticks all the bobber boxes, courtesy the fat front tyre, a commanding handlebar, the sculpted solo seat and the rear fender with an accessory luggage rack mounted on it. Although what’s more appealing is how it looks, as a whole. It has the presence and the appeal but most of all, it looks expensive. Or maybe every motorcycle with this sort of price tag should look this expensive, and we’re just conditioned to accepting lesser standards.

I was only too keen to swing a leg over this minimalist machine and, having slotted its key into the appropriate slot (under one’s right thigh), I fired it up to an exciting thrum that strikes a busy – if still distinctly cruiser-ish – chord. The snick into first is expectedly (of an Indian, that is) refined
and an energetic launch either ends in a tiny wheelie or an excited chirrup from the fat rear tyre. This is a quick motorcycle and I learnt this within the first five minutes on its saddle.

The dash from 0-100kph is completed in a neat 4.5sec and it nearly does all of it in first gear, itself. Making this sort of performance happen is the 1,133cc, liquid-cooled V-Twin which produces 94hp and 97Nm of torque at 5,600rpm. A six-speed transmission helps with slick gearshifts and drive is sent to the rear wheel via a belt. The Scout Bobber also sports a massive radiator, which helps keep the engine temperature in check, even in gruelling traffic. Most of all, it’s linear and refined. Now, Bobbers have been all about performance but its refinement and higher-set torque delivery results in a bottom-end that lacks raw character – and that’s where the ideal Bobber customer is going to spend most of her/his time. Doing 160kph outside a suburban hotspot will get you noticed
but not seen and the latter is important for someone investing big money on a decidedly individualistic motorcycle.

This is a genuinely fun motorcycle to ride, though; and its effortlessness at speed is addictive. Regardless of what speed you choose to sustain on it, the Bobber remains unruffled and in its element. It gets even better when you hit the twisties because the Bobber sports a terrific blend of stability and agility. You’re seated at a low 649mm and – thanks to the 1,562mm wheelbase – it takes to seemingly-endless curves with the grace of a large Boeing. Of course, you do end up grazing the foot pegs once you get too indulgent but there’s a fair bit of fun to be had (29 degrees of lean, to be precise) before that happens. Best of all, it’s hard to tell this is a 255-kg motorcycle, except during absolutely low-speed U-turns where it’s advisable to keep a leg – well, handy. The 123mm of ground clearance it offers also means you have to be cautious over speed breakers, to say the least.

The Bobber’s happy streak ends when you hit a bump, however. The first time I hit one – and it was a mild one I ride over everyday – I struggled to cope with the shock sent straight to my spine. I decided to coast gently over the next one but no respite. Over the course of a 100-km ride, I found myself having to stand up on the feet-forward pegs over any undulations, which is neither a natural nor comfortable position to assume. A brief investigation revealed a culprit – extremely limited suspension travel at either end. This setup has its roots in the lowered, hunkered-down stance that Indian decided to allocate to the Bobber and given that the Scout has always been firmly sprung, it doesn’t help. The result is a motorcycle that’s unsettling over bumps – and there are a lot of those everywhere in India. While you can take evasive action for the bumps and ripples you can see, it gets dangerous for those you can’t. I suppose the Bobber is still virtuous enough to make for a good ice-breaker while you wait your turn at the chiropractor’s, at least.

A day’s riding left me nursing a sore back and I’m still young and accommodating of bumps, thanks to my off-road riding history. This is a fundamental flaw that soon crawls over the Bobber’s overall riding appeal and, unsurprisingly, I found myself not wanting to ride it beyond the need of my journalistic duty. Any motorcycle that makes you not want to ride it is oxymoronic and – in the case of the otherwise thoroughly involving Bobber – it leaves you bitterly disappointed. Sure, it looks stunning when placed in your garage but so will the Mona Lisa. I rest my case.

With its Rs 12.99 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) price tag, the Indian Scout Bobber still is a very desirable motorcycle. Despite not being in-your-face like the new-age Harleys or overtly old-school like the Triumphs, it stands out in a crowd. It makes a statement and offers a level of exclusivity that’s hard to come by at that price point. Given our road conditions, the Scout Bobber is relegated to being one of those feel-good motorcycles that are great for a quick ride around town to go get some coffee and attention – but not much else.

With the motorcycle market in India developing a steady upward rhythm, it is only logical to provide buyers with a wider variety of options. And although there were a fair few complaints about the pre-production models of the Commando and Sport S we rode about a year ago, UM has put a solid amount of thought into ironing out those issues. Being a direct competitor to established motorcycle manufacturer Royal Enfield, we decided to take the UM Renegade Commando Classic to the streets to see how well it stands its ground.

The Classic gets a nice scooped-out seat for the rider that lifts up into a separate pillion seat, which also gets a large backrest. The riding position is a very comfortable one – the seats are well-cushioned, the reach for the handlebars allows for your shoulders to be in a relaxed position, and there isn’t much of a stretch to the forward-set foot pegs. All in all, this position could work well for riders of varying heights.

It also gets a 16-inch wheel at the front and a 15-inch one at the rear, which keeps things low. However, it still manages a ground clearance of 200mm.

Overall, UM has done a commendable job of improving its machine from what we experienced a year ago. It has decent ride quality and could really make a good companion for munching up some highway miles. However, there are a few areas in which the bike could be improved; engine refinement levels could certainly be looked into. With a price tag of Rs 1.89 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) for the Classic, the bike is priced competitively and falls bang into Royal Enfield territory. While it does miss out on the torquey, big single-cylinder feel, and the brand recognition that Royal Enfield has, the Renegade Commando Classic is a competent motorcycle in its own right. Those looking for an affordable, American-style cruiser, or those upgrading from something like a Bajaj Avenger, should stop by to a UM dealership and see if the Classic fits their cruising bill.

Mototech is an Indian company that specialises in riding gear and luggage solutions for bikers. We spent some time in their Hurricane rain pants and have come away impressed for the most part. These waterproof pants are meant to be worn over your trousers and feature taped seams and a heavy duty PVC material that promises good waterproofing.

The Hurricane pants feature a regular fit and an elastic waist makes it easy to pull the pants over your trousers. Further fit adjustment comes in a Velcro adjuster at the ankle that allows you to tighten or loosen the hem as required. The Hurricane pants feature twin pockets on either side with a Velcro flap covering that allows you to keep small items. The pants feature reflective ‘Mototech’ branding at the hems and a large Mototech motif in reflective on either side pocket. Despite the tough-feeling material, the Hurricane folds down quite compact, making it easy to carry around in your backpack.

We found that the pants work quite effectively, keeping the rider dry even after a couple of hours of non-stop rain. Also, you don’t feel hot and stuffy once the rain stops – a common issue with many of the cheaper, plasticky feeling rain pants available in the market. There’s very little to dislike about these pants but we wish they came with a slit at the bottom that allowed you to pull them over a pair of riding boots. The narrow hems mean that you have to take your boots off to pull the pants on. We’ve shared this with Mototech and they seem keen to incorporate this in the next batch of pants. With that, these rain pants will be an easy recommend.

The R25 is a backpack by British company Kriega which specialises in high-end motorcycle luggage solutions. Its quality levels are astounding and the bag is constructed out of materials usually seen in protective riding apparel, with a tough section of 1000D Cordura at the base and 420D nylon rip-stop for the main bag construction. Rip-stop, as the same suggests, prevents small tears from spreading across the material. Heavy duty YKK zippers of a very high quality come with long-pull tabs that make them easy to use with gloved hands. The snap-fit closures for the compression straps around the side are the best I’ve ever used, producing a pleasingly loud click which lets you know they are firmly secured. Safety is addressed by two large reflective patches along the straps in the front and a single large reflective panel on the back.

The bag has 25 litres of capacity, making it perfect for daily use or an overnight trip. A long external pocket is helpful for holding things like a raincoat. Inside, you have a main compartment along with a laptop sleeve and a small compartment constructed in clear plastic for your everyday essentials. A small eyelet on the top allows you to pass a hydration pipe through it as well. A hard protector is incorporated across the back section within the bag, while a thick memory-foam-like padding on the outside ensures a comfy fit.

The materials and quality levels are so high that Kriega offers a 10- year guarantee against manufacturing defects on all its products. However, the main reason to invest in a Kriega is for how it fits on your body. The large straps open wide, allowing you to easily wear the bag, even over a tight and constrictive leather jacket. The real party trick, though, is Kriega’s famous four-point Quadloc closing system. The system works via two cleverly designed round snap-fit closures which are easy to use without looking down – great for when your helmet and gloves are already on. The big advantage here is that it moves a majority of the bag’s weight off the shoulders and onto the chest, alleviating stress on the neck and shoulders. Large circular metal alloy adjusters on the side also allow you to fine-tune the fit while eradicating any annoying flapping straps.

The difference is enormous – full days on the road with heavy loads on the back cause far less soreness than with any bag I’ve previously used. The large and thickly padded bottom straps that come up from the back also offer a fair bit of impact protection to the kidney area.

This bag is next to perfect. It’s surprisingly water resistant too, and stays dry for up to half an hour in torrential rain. However, for complete waterproofing, the larger R30 with its roll-top closure is the one for you. Gun to head, I’d complain that the big Quadloc closure can block off some airflow in the heat and that the bag feels a little too heavy duty to be used regularly off the bike. But that’s it.

A limited range of Kreigas are currently sold solely through Triumph dealerships in India at much more competitive prices than overseas. Overall, the price seems crazy steep, but this is quite literally an investment and I’m yet to meet a disappointed customer.

The HJC CL-17 sits just above the Korean manufacturer’s entry-level line-up of full-face helmets, but offers a number of features seen in more expensive lids. After a month’s usage across a range of conditions, I’m quite impressed with what HJC has to offer in this sub-Rs 10,000 helmet.

The design is a more sober, rounded theme compared with some of the sportier models like the FG-17 and RPHA11. The helmet here features the Striker graphic with bright green shapes on a black base, offset by thin streaks of white. Towards the rear is an HJC logo encased within a shield that reminds strongly of the Autobot logo from the Transformers movie series. The paint quality is good for a helmet at this price point.

Ventilation is quite effective, with vents in the chin and brow areas that can be closed, as well as two sliding vents at the top of the helmet. An integrated spoiler at the rear houses two small venture-style vents that help suck hot air out of the helmet. Overall airflow is quite high, which helps keep the rider cool, but the helmet gets very noisy at high speeds.

Out of the box, the helmet gets a removable breath deflector that is designed to reduce visor fogging on cold rides. The visor itself doesn’t get an anti-fog treatment that’s offered on more expensive models and it is quite prone to fogging, despite the breath deflector. Fortunately, the visor is equipped with posts to accommodate a pinlock insert – a simple plastic lens that sits on thin rubber gaskets, creating a tiny air gap between the visor and itself. Pinlock lenses are some of the best anti-fog solutions available, but at around Rs 2,000, they aren’t cheap. The visor promises 95 percent UV protection and an anti-scratch coating. It also comes with a quick-release mechanism that enables easy cleaning. A small black switch on the left locks the visor into place when it is fully closed, preventing it from flipping open at high speeds. The pinlock posts, quick-release mechanism and visor lock are all high-end features, but we’d have liked a smoother open-close mechanism for the visor.

The CL-17 features a fully removable and washable interior. The fit is snug and the fabric material feels soft against the skin, but feels quite hot on sunny days. HJC has also given the anti-microbial treatment, from some of HJC’s more expensive helmets, a miss. This means the inners can get a bit smelly if they get wet. Thankfully, a quick wash will get rid of this.

The CL-17 is DOT safety rated, and conforms to the stricter standards of the USA-based SNELL foundation. When you factor in all the features and the safety rating, the CL-17 is highly impressive, making it an easy recommend for those looking for a helmet at this price.

Not all motorcyclists have easy access to a racetrack. In fact, with the scarcity of racetracks in our country, most sports bike owners have to settle for the road.

This is something Ducati is well aware of, and it has attempted to offer the best of both worlds with the Panigale 959. So, while the Panigale 959 has proved to be a stellar machine for the racetrack, we’re here to see what it’s like in the real world. It hasn’t got the goosebump-inducing, near-200hp of grunt of its older sibling, the Panigale 1299, but instead, it is a replacement for the Panigale 899 which was discontinued at the dawn of Euro-IV emission norms. Although this is a middleweight sports bike, it also happens to be the entry-level sports bike from Ducati’s stable.

Design

The 959 is relatively unchanged from the 899, and that’s not a bad thing. It retains the monocoque chassis from the 899 and the larger Panigale 1299. There are a few changes to the body panels to accommodate the wider front fairing, which gets new, attractive inlet scoops. These scoops sit below the headlights that have the typical Ducati design which adds to the aggressive look of the machine. The windscreen visor is nice and compact, but quite effective in deflecting windblast nonetheless.

The 959 retains the full-digital LCD speedometer, but it appears rather cluttered with all the information on display. It gets a cascading, race-style tachometer with digital readouts for speed, rider modes, electronic aids, engine temperature, real-time and overall fuel consumption, as well as the regular odometer and two trip meters. This unit, however, does feel a bit dated now and is not very easy to operate through the switchgear toggle buttons.

The Panigale 959 gets a tank that looks well-chiselled and muscular but is quite compact. It flows into a swept seat that is on the stiffer side, but is comfortable nonetheless. The all-new tail unit gets the wide air scoops that sit below a rather well-designed pillion seat. Then there are the signature Panigale twin tail-lights that give the 959 a wholesome, sleek look. Also new are the side-slung, twin exhaust pipes instead of the erstwhile underbelly unit. Another small tweak is the swingarm pivot which has been dropped by 4mm.

Performance

The twin-cylinder engine, too, is based on the motor of the 899, but has been heavily revised to meet Euro-IV emission regulations. The increase in displacement is thanks to a longer stroke, identical to the 1299 Panigale’s. The revisions have helped meet emissions and also increased peak horsepower to 157hp (from 148hp) and torque to 107.4Nm (from 99Nm). To make the best use of the extra grunt, the gearbox is from the 899 but has an added tooth on the rear wheel sprocket to make the overall gearing taller.

Slide the engine kill switch to the ‘on’ position, keep the starter button depressed for a second and the L-Twin engine coughs to life and then settles into a mechanical rumble. In Sport mode, there’s full power on offer from the engine, but throttle response is milder than in the Race mode. The modes also come with presets for electronic aids such the eight-stage traction control, three-level engine brake control and three-level ABS system. The Rain mode lifts the intervention levels high and also caps power at 100hp. The nuances of the modes become apparent when you switch to Race mode. Here, you feel a crisper throttle and a stronger mid-range that can get a bit overwhelming for the street. Although the mid-range is impressive and the top-end serious, you come to terms with the punch from the Superquadro motor almost immediately. It’s safe to say then that Sport mode would be best suited for street conditions.

The little Panigale, although not as feisty as other litre-class motorcycles with 200hp on tap, is not so little on performance. We managed a 0-100kph time of 3.9sec in Sport mode, which is way more than what you need for the street. There is sufficient grunt to carve through city traffic and there’s plenty of juice if you manage to get close to the 11,000rpm mark before the shift light warns you to upshift. Armed with the Ducati Quick Shifter, there really is no drama while going up gears even when exiting corners. A light tap on the lever gets the job done, with a slight lag in the flow of power, but it feels seamless from the saddle. The one area where you need to put in some extra effort is through the corners as it is crucial to have smooth throttle inputs, else the torquey pulse of the engine can make the going feel a bit choppy.

Handling

Once in the saddle of the 959, the first thought that hits you is that it is an incredibly compact motorcycle; it feels slim and tightly packaged. The seat tips you forward towards the slim clip-on handlebars, but the ergonomics aren’t overly aggressive. Again, the rider triangle is identical to the larger Panigale. With a wet weight of 200kg, which is relatively light, the Panigale 959 actually weighs more than its elder sibling. Also, it doesn’t have the forged alloy wheels. But weight aside, it actually feels rather comfortable for a sports bike.

Even during our test ride of over 400km, the 959 did not feel exhausting to ride, unlike some of the more aggressive middleweight sports bikes like the Triumph Daytona 675 or the MV Agusta F3 800. However, navigating heavy city traffic can become a bit painful, especially due to the heat that emanates from the engine. During highway running speeds of about 100-130kph, the engine temperature hovers around the 95 to 98deg C mark, which is quite bearable. At city speeds, however, the temperature can go all the way up to a sizzling 115deg C. This is also more noticeable thanks to the exhaust bend pipe of the rear cylinder, which runs directly under the rider’s seat.

The Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa rubber tyres at both ends provide more than sufficient grip for the street and would be handy on the track as well. What adds to the sense of confidence here is the introduction of a slipper clutch. Slamming down the gears from sixth to second and sticking to a line is all too easy as the rear wheel stays obediently in line. Squeeze on the front discs via the Brembo M4.32 monobloc calipers and there’s more than enough bite force to scrub off speed. The radially mounted master cylinder for the front brake offers a light feel at the lever and good modulation as well. Other elements, such as a single-sided swingarm and Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU)-based cornering ABS have been kept off the equipment list to keep the price accessible. Although, during street use, it would be difficult to push the 959 to the point where these aids would actually matter.

Fuel efficiency

We weren’t really expecting the punchy 955cc motor to delivery great fuel efficiency figures. But our highway run resulted in a figure of 23.9kpl, and our city run resulted in an 18.3kpl figure – quite respectable for a performance-oriented machine. Combine the highway mileage with a 17-litre fuel tank capacity and you’re looking at a range of nearly 357km between fuel stops. Of course, that’s if you don’t succumb to the itch of really wringing that throttle wide open. The 959 really does have the capacity to cover a fair amount of distance during street use.

When KTM refreshed the Duke line-up for 2017, the 200 was barely changed at all, while the 390 got an all-out, up-to-down redo that resulted in a far more desirable and better-equipped motorcycle. The catch? A price hike that pushed its tag to Rs 2.25 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). The 200’s price, meanwhile, remained unchanged at Rs 1.43 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), creating a large vacuum between the two. Enter the 250 Duke, a bridge between the 200 and the 390, with power, features and pricing sitting squat between the two. That seems logical on paper but does it work well in practice?

The 250 Duke is quite the accomplished motorcycle, especially for city riding. First, let's talk about the styling: it looks great, distinctive and unique. Then comes the engine; it boasts a punchy mid-range. The gearbox is precise and crisp, designed to tackle urban traffic at one end of the spectrum and highway cruising at the other. What takes the cake though is the handling. The bike feels completely at home when riding in the city, whether it is zipping through traffic snarls, overtaking slow moving vehicles or just cruising on empty midnight roads. The upright riding position simply makes things better. A great bike then? Yes. A great value proposition? Well, this is where things get tricky. At Rs 1.73 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), the 250 Duke is a good Rs 30,000 more expensive than the 200. For that extra cash, you do get 5hp more power, 5Nm more torque, slightly better handling characteristics and a slipper clutch, but performance on the road is not extravagantly better. That said, the 250 Duke, when viewed in isolation, is a well-rounded bike, great for the city and not so bad on the highway either. Thus, if you are looking for a sporty but manageable bike to start off with, and are not exactly pinching pennies, the 250 Duke might just be what you're looking for.